Guitarist Diaries: Rodrigo y Gabriela, Colston Hall, Bristol, 29/11/2009

Even another notorious British wet and cold winter evening couldn´t stop Guitarist from putting on its rain jacket to catch their final gig of the week. Guitarist´s

Rob Antonello

travels to Bristol´s Colsten Hall to catch the last show on

Rodrigo y Gabriela

´s recent UK tour…

For newcomers, Rodrigo y Gabriela are an instrumental, acoustic guitar duo from Mexico City featuring super-fast soulful from lead guitarist Rodrigo Sánchez and the tapping, slapping, beating, percussive rhythmic guitarist, Gabriela Quintero. The two guitarists beautifully combine and blend genres of Latin, classical, metal and rock music in an explosive instrumental frenzy.

On the drive to the show we were questioning how a purely instrumental act that only consists of two guitars could hold the attention of a sold out 2,000 seater show. However, by the end of the two-hour set, we all had our tails between out legs for ever doubting the duo.

Rodrigo y Gabriela´s dramatic and intense show was packed full of songs from their latest album 11:11. Each song on the album paying tribute to artists that have inspired them. These include

Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, John McLaughlin, Dimebag Darrell, Carlos Santana and Al Di Meola

. The duo also played several tracks from their two preceding albums, most notably their version of Metallica´s ‘Orion´ (a Guitarist office favourite).

The entire show was a stunning combination of Rodrigo y Gabriela´s rhythmically complex guitar work syncopated with an extremely moody light show and an artistic black and white stage live feed projected onto the stages backdrop.

Throughout the entirety of the show Rodrigo y Gabriela never fails to capture the attention of the audience, making sure the two-hour set never dragged.

For those of you who haven´t heard of them before, go straight to youtube and check them out. Now… go on! For those of you who get a chance to see them… do it! You won´t be disappointed.

There latest album ´11:11´ is out now. We suggest you get yourselves down to your local record store.